Brain Drain

[Toadkiller Dog]

I'm not entirely clear on the wording of this ability. It states:

Quote:

Treat the knowledge gained as if you had used detect thoughts.

What does that mean? That you can't probe someone with Int 26? Or that you can't target someone that you don't see? Or is it something else?

[Hama]

It means that it will give you the same information a successful detect thoughts spell would. Treat it as detect thoughts.

[jackalltrade]

A successful detect thoughts spell could just reveal surface thoughts. Though, the description of brain drain states: " you may use a full-round action to sort through the jumble of stolen thoughts and MEMORIES to make a single Knowledge check using the victim’s skill bonus"
So, is it possible to use brain drain to learn something that the victim knows but is not thinking about?